“It was predicted that such a thing could have happened in that session, because both the president of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan side were not saving their evident efforts and day and night were talking about it. The more important task here is not so much Armenia’s accession to the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC), as the task of humiliating Armenia’s role. In other words, actually Nazarbayev created a situation that separated Karabakh from Armenia, and laid the foundation for not taking any responsibility by still to be formed union in the future regarding the fate of Nagorno-Karabakh. This fact was an obvious evidence that by joining the Customs Union or the Eurasian Union, Armenia does not resolve the security issue,” so commented the leader of “Free Democrats” party, an MP Khachatur Kokobelyan, on May 29, in the conversation with Aravot.am, referring to the condition put forward by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana, saying that Armenia should join the Eurasian Union with the UN-recognized borders, that is, without Nagorno-Karabakh. Nazarbayev stated this at the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council session, by reading Aliyev’s letter.As said by Mr. Kokobelyan, “the position of the President of Armenia must have been very tough and equivalent to that step, with which, in fact, the 3rd state that had nothing to do with their created union, at least, de facto, both by documents and initial negotiations, but he was directly influenced by the speech of Nazarbayev. In short, Nazarbayev clearly presented the interests of Azerbaijan and also openly stated that they have no right to be obstinate and upset Azerbaijan. I consider it a slap across not only Armenia but also other states, Russia and Belarus. I’m regretfully saying, but I had the impression that a process is going on behind Nagorno-Karabakh to the detriment of Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, by the light hand of Azerbaijan and Russia or in extreme case, by the mutual consent with Russia.” Mr. Kokobelyan recalled that prior to September 3, a big noise was raised about the sales of weapons to Azerbaijan by Russia. “The same roar was raised before Astana, which I would consider a psychological terror against the Republic of Armenia. There is no coincidence here. A systemic process is going on against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Yesterday, the Russian ambassador actually stated that we shouldn’t be surprised at Russia’s selling weapons to Azerbaijan, it is just a business deal. In other words, Russia is obviously violating the Armenian-Russian Friendship Treaty, Clause 3, which clearly states that the parties, with their available funds, are obligated to support peace, and not vice versa. In fact, Russia in flagrant violation of Clause 3 of this Agreement, is equipping Armenia’s opponent state. It is clear to any thinking person that this armament is against Armenia.
After all of this, not to have a tough approach, after all of this to tolerate such an attitude towards Armenia, in my opinion is unacceptable for all of us.” When Nursultan Nazarbayev introduced Aliyev’s letter at the meeting, Serzh Sargsyan was surprised. To our question of whether it was an impiety to the President of Armenia to introduce this letter as a surprise just at the meeting, Khachatur Kokobelyan answered, “First, I would like to be the first not to see the authorities of Armenia to come to surprise and that they had the information in advance. I am saying this as a citizen of Armenia. Secondly, a tough approach should be followed to this surprise, but there is no response, which is insulting for Armenia.”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
